Dido

Born: December 25,1971
Hometown: London, England

Dido was five when she stole her first recorder. This didn't lead to prison, but rather to her entrance one year later to the Guildhall School of Music in London. A bit of a child prodigy, by the time she was 10 she played piano, violin, and the aforementioned recorder.

Her teenage years were an interesting mixture of stealing her brother's record collection (from The Clash to Gregory Isaac's to Duran Duran) and touring the UK with her classical music ensemble and then, at 16, she finally fell in love... with Ella Fitzgerald.

So began a passion that eventually led Dido from listener to participator. She started singing with various bands in and around London, and despite the fact that her brother, Rollo, told her not to give up her day job, she eventually appeared on the debut album of a band that Rollo formed in 1995.

This band was faithless, and they went on to sell in excess of five million records. Over the next two years, Dido toured with faithless (a very different experience from her classical days) and, whenever she was back in London, also recorded demos of her own songs.

On Faithless's current release, Sunday 8pm, Dido appears on two songs, one of which incorporates her own "My Lover's Gone." Arista records heard these demos at the beginning of 1997, and Dido was invited to the Dorchester hotel in London to meet Clive Davis. the meeting was successful (Clive even helped out with some of the backing vocals as Dido sung to him).

Thanks to bizzarre charairbel@hotmail.com for submitting the biography.


source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Dido-Biography/0D7BD7808E70FC3848256965000B7BC7

Diana King

One of 15 children, King was born in Spanish Town, in St. Catherine's Parish, not far from Kingston. She grew up singing hymns in the St. Phillipo Baptist Church and at the same time was drawn to the music of Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle and Chaka Khan. However, her devoutly relig-ious family disapproved of pop music. "In Jamaica we don't sing gospel like they sing it in the U.S.," she says. "It was just plain. So when I got the chance to sing a solo in church, I wanted to do it like Aretha, and it was like, 'No, you can't do that here. You have to sing it straight.'"

She was just 13 when she got a job singing weekends at Mingles, one of the premier clubs in Kingston. When her parents objected, Diana ran away from home. "I didn't even know where I was going," she says. "I took a bus, and I ended up in Ocho Rios. And I saw somebody I knew there. He was in a band at a hotel, and he said, 'You know, they've been looking for a female singer .' And that night I went there and sang, and they just loved it. And that's how I got started on the north coast. I was lucky, because a lot of things could happen to a person my age, not knowing where I'm going to sleep. But they didn't know I was so young, because I looked mature.

"I stayed there for a year and a half, and then I got this other job with a one-man band, and every night was a different hotelOcho Rios, Montego Bay, Negril. I sang R&B, pop, house, everything. But, because they were for tourists, some of the hotels wouldn't let you do reg-gae. So I left the hotels and started singing with the City Heat band, touring Jamaica." She quit that band a couple years later when producer Handel Tucker suggested that she record some original material. However, her single, "Change Of Heart," failed to take off, so she accepted an offer to tour Europe and the U.S. with Shabba Ranks. "I would sing the songs he recorded with female singers, so I d idn't get to sing by myself," she says. "But the whole experience was a lot of fun."

King had previously recorded some demo tracks, which by chance came to the atten-tion of Columbia Record's Maxine Stowe. "I left Shabba, not knowing what I was going to do," says King, "and out of the blue, Maxine called me. She said, 'We're interested in doing something with you.' That's how I ended up doing 'Stir It Up.' And two days later she called me and she said, 'Guess what? We accepted it for this movie.' So that's how it got on Cool Runnings. Again I was lucky, and so I ended up doing the album. Everything went so quickly."

After the release of her original version of "Stir It Up" on the Cool Runnings soundtrack, Diana King hit the road as part of the Stir It Up/Cool Runnings tour, appearing onstage with Carla Marshal, Worl-A-Girl, and Jimmy Cliff. Her stunning stage presence and soul-shaking vocals were a highlight at the NCAA Half-time Reggae performance, broadcast on ABC television. She was recently a featured performer at the 11th Annual Princess Grace Foundation Award Dinner, held at the Plaza Hotel in New York.

TOUGHER THAN LOVE was recorded and/or mixed at Sony Studios, the Quad Studios, and Battery Studios, and the Loft in New York. ("Ain't Nobody" was recorded and mixed at Tuff Gong and Mainstreet in Jamaica.) The resulting grooves obliterate distinctions between reggae and R&B, harking back to the bluesy rock-steady sound of the '60s while honing the cutting edge of today's hip-hop-oriented soul. What's more, the album showcases one of the most gifted female vocalists to emerge from Jamaica in memory. Diana King has the potential to penetrate inter-national barriers with a voice that cuts straight to the heart, crooning, rapping and belting her passionate message in the universal language of love.


source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Diana-King-Biography/6D618346DB364B53482569580032F902

Destiny's Child

Destiny's Child were formed in Houston, Texas, in 1990, when original members Beyonc? Knowles and LaTavia Roberson were just nine years old; the two met at an audition and became friends, and Knowles' father Matthew set about developing an act based on their singing and rapping, under the name GirlTyme. Later Tina Knowles, Beyonce's mother took their name from a passage in the Book of Isaiah. Kelendria "Kelly" Rowland joined the group in 1992, and shortly thereafter they landed an appearance on Star Search, where they performed a rap song. The quartet's lineup was finalized (for the time being) when LeToya Luckett joined in 1993, and they spent the next few years working their way up from the Houston club scene, eventually opening for popular R&B artists like SWV, Dru Hill, and Immature. In 1997, Destiny's Child was offered a recording contract by Columbia Records.

The group made their recording debut with "Killing Time," which appeared on the soundtrack for the 1997 blockbuster, Men In Black. Destiny's Child released their self-titled debut album to mixed reviews on February 17, 1998. The album's first single, "No, No, No" featured two completely different versions of the same song. "No, No, No Pt.1" and "No, No, No Pt.2" were both released simultaneously, however, Part II was considered a "remix" version of Part I. "No, No, No Pt.2" featuring The Fugees member Wyclef Jean, quickly climbed to No.1 on the Billboard R&B chart and No.3 Pop. The blockbuster single sold over 1 million copies, turning the group into an instant R&B music sensation. However, follow-up singles "With Me Pt.1" (which also had two different versions) and "Get On The Bus" failed to reproduce the blockbuster success of "No, No, No." Destiny's Child eventually went Platinum after later success. Expectations weren't high for the group's second album, as most industry critics considered them to be another disposable R&B girl-group with one-hit wonder status.

Destiny's Child re-entered the studio quickly, bringing in an impressive lineup of talented producers, including Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, Rodney Jerkins, Dwayne Wiggins, Chad Elliot, Daryl Simmons, and Missy Elliott. Critics were generally positive about the album. Music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote "The Writing's On The Wall... an assured step forward for the girl group. Not only are they maturing as vocalists, they are fortunate to work with such skilled, talented producers... who all give the quartet rich, varied music upon which to work their charm." Lead single "Bills, Bills, Bills" became the group's first No.1 pop hit (and second R&B No.1) in the summer of 1999, and paced by its success, the accompanying album, The Writing's on the Wall, entered the charts at No.6 upon its release on July 27, 1999. The second single, "Bug-a-Boo" hit the Top 40 pop charts, while its music video received heavy rotation on MTV and BET.

Buoyed by the group's breakout success, two of its original members, Letoya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson, attempted to split with manager Matthew Knowles, charging that he kept a disproportionate share of the band's profits, attempted to exert too much control, and unfairly favored his daughter and niece. While they never intended to leave the group, relations naturally grew strained, and when the video for "Say My Name" premiered in February 2000, many fans (not to mention Roberson and Luckett) were surprised to find two new members — Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin — joining Knowles and Rowland. Infuriated, Roberson and Luckett took legal action in March, suing both Knowles and their former bandmates for breach of partnership and fiduciary duties. A war of words followed in the press; meanwhile, Destiny's Child became a pop-cultural phenomenon. "Say My Name" was the group's most irresistible and biggest single to date, becoming the group's third No.1 single. The abrupt membership changes within the group seemed to only heighten the group's visibility, finally separating them from the endless pack of teen R&B starlets.

In June 2000, the album's fourth single, "Jumpin' Jumpin'" became a Top 5 hit, however, another departure came from the ever-evolving girl-group. Farrah Franklin, who had replaced an original member just five months prior, left the group for various personal reasons. This split was less controversial, while The Writing's On The Wall would eventually sell a massive 9 million copies by the end of summer. In the meantime, toward the end of 2000, Roberson and Luckett dropped the portion of their lawsuit aimed at Rowland and Knowles in exchange for a settlement, though they continued to pursue action against Knowles' father; as part of the agreement, both sides were prohibited from attacking each other publicly.

Misfortune struck the group, in late July 1999. A stalker by the name of LaToya Langford, a fan from San Diego, California began writing death threats to the group, more specifically aimed at Beyonc? if Knowles did not lick Lanford's vagina. The group cancelled their tour through San Diego and filed a restraining order against Langford. Langford continued the harrasment until her arrest on August 23, 1999 in her home in San Diego, California.

With Langford in jail, the group safely came out of hiding and now reduced to a trio, Destiny's Child was tapped to record the theme song for the film version of Charlie's Angels; released as a single in October, "Independent Women, Pt. 1" raced up the charts and spent an astounding 11 consecutive weeks at number one. Destiny's Child were now indisputable superstars, among the biggest female pop groups, and they quickly began work on a new album to capitalize on their success. In the meantime, Destiny's Child won 2 Grammy awards for "Say My Name," including Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group and Best R&B Song. While speaking with MTV.com, Rowland had this to say about the upcoming album: "I know everybody can relate to this album — it's very diverse and inspiring. The year 2000 was very challenging, and I know that gave Beyonc? a lot of inspiration to write songs for the album. We cannot wait for everybody to hear it. It's so empowering for a lot of people who have already heard a little bit of it."

Beyonc? had long since emerged as the group's focal point, and on the third Destiny's Child album, she assumed more control than ever before, taking a greater hand in writing the material and even producing and co-writing the entire album. "We're excited about the album," Knowles told MTV News shortly before the album's release. She adds,"...I got a chance to co-write and produce all of the songs." "And she did an incredible job," the group's Kelly Rowland added. "But everybody is a part of the music," Knowles said. "Everybody is singing lead on every song, and it's so great — because now Destiny's Child is at the point vocally and mentally that it should be at. It's just great to be a part of this group." Survivor — whose title was reportedly inspired by a DJ's crack about Destiny's Child members voting one another off the island, much like the popular CBS reality series Survivor — hit stores in the spring of 2001, and entered the charts at number one, selling over 663,000 copies in its first week sales (the highest ever for a girl-group.) The first two singles, "Survivor" and "Bootylicious", were predictably huge hits, with the latter becoming the group's fourth No.1 pop single. A cover of Andy Gibb's "Emotion" was also successful, becoming a Top 10 pop hit. Survivor sold well — over twelve million copies — more than its predecessor. Toward the end of the year, the group released a holiday album, 8 Days of Christmas, and announced plans for a series of side projects, including solo albums from all three members (to be staggered over the next year and a half, so as to avoid competition). In early 2002, a remix compilation titled This Is the Remix was released to tide fans over.

After three years apart, achieving individual success in movies, on Broadway, endorsements and with solo albums, the three women of Destiny's Child have reunited with a brand new album, Destiny Fulfilled. An upcoming world tour, sponsored by McDonald's, "Destiny Fulfilled and I'm Lovin' It", will hit 16 countries and over 75 cities worldwide, kicking off in Hiroshima, Japan on April 9th; stops will include Australia, throughout Europe, and concluding in the U.S. and Canada later this summer. Their latest CD, Destiny Fulfilled was executive produced and co-written by all three members. "Lose My Breath," the album's first single, produced by Rodney Jerkins, became the group's ninth Top 10 pop hit. The album was released in November 2004. The second single, "Soldier" featuring rappers T.I. and Lil Wayne quickly entered the Top 10, peaking at No.3 in February 2005 becoming the groups 10th top 10 pop hit. Despite receiving worldwide mixed reviews, Destiny Fulfilled was certified 3x Platinum in early 2005. The album's third US single is "Cater 2 U," while the international release is "Girl". Destiny's Child are now immortalized as Barbie Dolls, Toymakers Mattel created the latest Barbies as part of their Famous Friends range. The Barbies will go on sale in June 2005.

Thanks to lost_boy85 for submitting the biography.

source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Destiny's-Child-Biography/3EE8266B2FB4E28C4825689D002D6EB7